diff --git a/extensions/pi/mempalace.ts b/extensions/pi/mempalace.ts
index 5e21833..f30869f 100644
--- a/extensions/pi/mempalace.ts
+++ b/extensions/pi/mempalace.ts
@@ -1209,10 +1209,16 @@ export default async function mempalaceExtension(pi: ExtensionAPI) {
 		if (!mailboxEnabled || !available) return [];
 		try {
 			const [candidatesRaw, mineRaw, inboundRaw] = await Promise.all([
+				// Every cursor-less event_list call in this file passes `order` explicitly.
+				// The server's default is not ours to lean on: mempalace <= 3.9.0 defaults
+				// to `asc`, 3.10.0 flips a cursor-less listing to newest-first. Both
+				// derive* joins want the NEWEST window (see the comment below), so say so
+				// and the verdict stops depending on which server version answers.
 				client.callTool("mempalace_event_list", {
 					to_agent: mailboxAddress,
 					status: "open",
 					limit: 50,
+					order: "desc",
 				}),
 				// `order: "desc"` is a fix, not a flourish. event_list defaults to `asc`
 				// (append order), so this asked for the OLDEST 100 events this device
@@ -1277,10 +1283,15 @@ export default async function mempalaceExtension(pi: ExtensionAPI) {
 	async function deriveClosed(): Promise<LogEvent[]> {
 		if (!mailboxEnabled || !available) return [];
 		try {
+			// `order: "desc"` for the same reason as deriveOwed: without it a 3.9.0
+			// server hands back the OLDEST window, so past 100 authored events this
+			// device's newest asks (and past 50 inbound, the replies that close them)
+			// fall outside the join. The selection below is order-independent
+			// (isStrictlyAfter), so this only fixes WHICH events are in the window.
 			const [mineRaw, inboundRaw] = await Promise.all([
-				client.callTool("mempalace_event_list", { from_agent: mailboxAddress, limit: 100 }),
+				client.callTool("mempalace_event_list", { from_agent: mailboxAddress, limit: 100, order: "desc" }),
 				// NO status filter, deliberately: that omission is the entire fix.
-				client.callTool("mempalace_event_list", { to_agent: mailboxAddress, limit: 50 }),
+				client.callTool("mempalace_event_list", { to_agent: mailboxAddress, limit: 50, order: "desc" }),
 			]);
 			// Correlations this device opened as a DIRECTED ask. A broadcast owes
 			// nobody a reply, so it cannot be closed by one either.